Mr Saltzman Pays A Visit
by Damonficgirl
Summary: Post All My Children, assuming that Alaric recovers; he goes to visit Bonnie who still isn't talking to Elena to offer some wisdom and support. Spoilers. No ships or pairings.


**Mr. Saltzman Pays A Visit**

**Summary: Post All My Children, assuming that Alaric recovers; he goes to visit Bonnie who still isn't talking to Elena to offer some wisdom and support. Spoilers for Season 3 Episode... No ships or pairings. **

**D/C: TVD and its characters are not mine. **

"Hey Bonnie, how are you doing?"

She almost hadn't opened the door and she was certainly surprised to find Alaric on her doorstep. "Just peachy," Bonnie replied, her voice thick with sarcasm. "What do you want Alaric?" She usually called him Mr. Saltzman unless she was talking to Elena about him; after all he wasn't her guardian.

"Nothing, just to talk." Alaric stood awkwardly outside the half open door but Bonnie didn't move to let him in.

"If you're here because you're worried about Elena-"

"I'm here for you Bonnie. I won't keep you long but there's something I need to say. I know what it's like to want to hate her for needing saving, for being worth saving. I get it; I know what it's like to wonder what it would be like if she was the one that had died, if for once everything wasn't all about Elena. Am I close?"

Bonnie was shocked by his words, and felt herself cringing at their brutal honestly but that was it. She moved aside and let him in.

"There's no right answer in these situations Bonnie, there's no easy answer. What Damon did, I know you hate him for it, I hate him for it, mostly because he seems to have so little trouble living with his decisions, while the rest of us..." he cast around for a word.

"Do?"

"Yeah. But, and I can't believe I'm sticking up for him; he turned her for a reason Bonnie. He didn't have to. You know what Damon's like, he thought that was better than killing her, even though for us, maybe it wasn't. He'd do the same thing though for any of us, he'd think he was saving us. He was in a bad situation. He loves Elena too much to hurt her and he knew whatever he did to you or your Mum would hurt her. But right now none of that matters to you, and no one can blame you for that. Elena doesn't. I don't. Just remember when you're ready we're all here for you."

"Thanks Mr. Saltzman," Bonnie put on her weak lets-be-polite-to-the-teacher smile. "It just wish it was over. All of it. Vampires, originals, I don't even want to be a witch anymore. I never did. I just fell into all of this because of Elena and because Mystic Falls is my home."

"I don't think any of us really chose this life. Or would have chosen it if it had seemed like there were other options, but this doesn't have to be it for you Bonnie. Try to believe that one day you might leave this all behind you."

"See that's the thing, I used to think that eventually Elena would be safe and life would go back to normal, sure I'd probably always tinker a little with the magics, but no more life or death, save the world or else emergency stuff. Now, my Mum's a vampire, and she's the only family I've got left, so unless I give up my Mum - again - I'm stuck with the blood sucking and the powers and manipulation, all that vampire crap."

"I guess you are, but its worth it isn't it? If I could have Jenna back, even as a vampire... I don't know, if she was like Isabel, then no, but I look at Caroline and, sometimes even Stefan and Damon, and I have to realize that they aren't all bad. Okay mostly Caroline." Alaric smiled weakly. "Just don't forget you still have a lot of family around here, and I can't believe how cheesy that sounded but it's true, when I came here I had nothing except this huge grudge against the vampires for what happened to Isabel and now, now I'm living with my ex-girlfriend's niece and while I wouldn't go as far as saying I'm raising her, I'm something to her, at least I think I am, and I know I'm a screwed up drunk widower but if you need anything, I'm here for you too. You kids have done amazing thing. I'm barely coping and I'm ten years older than you. You'll get through this too... Here endith the pep talk. So do your homework and stay away from drugs."

"Thanks Mr. Saltzman."

"Alaric."

"Alaric."

Alaric nodded and rose, "I'll see myself out."

Bonnie nodded mutely. None of this was exactly news to her, but it did help to hear it, just a little it.


End file.
